In this day and age with Google and internet so readily available, self-diagnosis of ailments is becoming all too common. This is the worst thing you can do for your health. Trust in a specialist doctor or physiotherapist, they have done far more research and have far more knowledge than your quick Google search can provide.
We've heard too many stories of athletes who have had a crash and assessed their own injuries, only to find out later they have done a lot more damage to their body by continuing to ride with the injury. A quick visit to a specialist can give peace of mind to know you aren't going to do further damage, or nip the issue in the bud and heal in a much shorter amount of time than you would from further damage.
Recently a Ben Swift, pro tour rider, had a crash in training that did some damage. Fortunately and sensibly he was checked out at the hospital. It turned out he had ruptured his spleen, and the hospital visit avoided what could have been a life-threatening internal bleed.
Years ago, cycling wasn't such a common activity, and there were no guarantees the medical expert knew how the body would handle the cycling workload. Now, with cycling being such a well-known sport and many experts from the medical world being either keen cyclists themselves, or having a thorough understanding of cycling, it's inexcusable to not seek their advice.
If you have a crash, you could knock your knee, cork your glute, or twist your back, among other things. These issues can have a knock on effect and lead to bigger issues that will cause a lot more pain and potential time off the bike than getting a professional medical assessment as soon as you can after your crash.
Another big thing to be wary of is head knocks. Concussion is a hot topic in sport right now, and a visit to your GP to get a quick concussion test/assessment if you think you have hit your head, can be a life saver. Don't take concussion lightly! We're seeing concussion becoming more and more discussed in contact sports, and these sports are leading the way for what we are now learning.
We have heard of an example of a guy who knocked his head in a cycling crash, but felt fine. Over next few weeks he became increasingly forgetful, till his wife made him have a scan. He had a slow blood leak resulting in a blood clot the size of an orange. He had emergency surgery to drain it and made full recovery, but would have died if his wife hadn't made him go to the hospital.
The point of this post isn't to freak everyone out, it is just to be wary of how a seemingly innocuous fall can lead to much bigger issues. We want everyone to be as fit and healthy as possible, so be mindful of the little things, and treat your body the best you can!
